Archive for August, 2016

Ready, set, reuse! Recycle if you must, but if you can, join the upcycling movement. This is the practice of giving something a new purpose without having to reduce its properties and start over again. The possibilities are endless, but here are a few great ideas for those boring plastic containers that nearly everything seems to be sold in these days.

Antibacterial wipe containers – These are absolutely perfect for storing the plastic bags you use to bring groceries home from the store. You can fit a lot of them inside and they pull out one by one just like the wipes.

Plastic pop bottles – This is way too much fun if you have kids. Remove the labels and clean with warm, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and let dry completely. Then, get creative and use acrylic paints to paint cute faces or designs on them. Fill them 1/3 with sand, and set them up as bowling pins for your toddler!

Honey bear plastic bottles – These have been around forever, and it’s nearly impossible to toss one in the recycling bin because they’re so darn cute. Take advantage of the classic design by adding some glamour. Visit the local craft store and purchase some gold leaf paint. Don’t forget to buy a plastic primer so the gold leaf will adhere to the bear. Hand paint a fancy design and top with a clear acrylic coat to permanently set your handiwork. The result is fancy little bear that you can display on its own, or leave the lid off and fill with fake flowers, long feathers, or anything else that will plume at the top. They look especially great in rooms that feature antiques because the gold leafing resembles vintage finishes traditionally applied to antique knick-knacks!

With school starting, money can be a bit tighter. We can help with that at Dolphin Carpet & Tile! Fill out a quick form here to receive a coupon for $100 off your next flooring purchase and learn more about what we have to offer!

It usually fills slowly, over time, but you’re steadily adding to it every month. It’s that box – the one that is the catch-all for the miscellaneous items around the house that don’t get used anymore. There’s a good chance that you even still like some of them, but after a couple of years of no use, it seems silly to keep them around. Your goal is to drop off the box at the local donation center once it is full, but that’s an errand that too easily put off. Perhaps that a good thing, because we’ve got some suggestions for how to put those things to good use by giving them a new purpose!

Dessert and cakes stands: Set on your vanity, bathroom counter, or craft table. Desert stands make for a beautiful display of jewelry, accessories, perfume. Cakes stands are a nifty way to assemble a collection of bottled art supplies, such as acrylic paints.

Shot glasses: The tall skinny ones are super for organizing and displaying those expensive makeup brushes you invested in. They are also ideal for specialty pens and markers that you don’t want to get lost in the shuffle of the common stuff. Short shot glasses work well for painting too, but in this case you can dispense various paint colors in them and not run the risk of accidently mixing the colors as might happen on a palette or tray.

Old metal funnels: Flip them over and insert taper candles. The wide base will ensure that the candle doesn’t fall over, and if the wax drips on them it’s highly likely that they’ll look even better.

Silver, gold, or brass candle sticks: If you’re a modern gal you may have switched over to battery run faux flames to add ambience. But it’s a shame to let go of something solid and traditional, like heirloom candle sticks that might even have sentimental value. So, use them to hold and display bracelets and watches!

Hard sided sunglass cases: Avoid the ‘cord drama’ caused when you toss chargers and earphones in your handbag. Simply wind them up and store them in a sunglass case, and they’ll emerge from your bag without tangles.

Even though the growing season is coming to an end, don’t give up yet on your garden! Help it to stay healthy as long as possible. Find out how to determine what is wrong with plants and how to rectify the situation.

If the plant’s leaves have holes in them, it means an insect is eating them. Spray the plant with a mixture of insect killing soap. This item can be purchased at any major retailer or online at stores like Amazon.

Leaves that are turning yellow and looking wilted, typically meant the plant is being over watered. The drainage may not be great. This can be fixed by adding sand to the soil. If that doesn’t help, the plant may need be to be transplanted to a raised garden. You can tell if a plant is not getting enough water by feeling the leaves. If they feel crunchy or dry; chances are it needs more water.

If a plant’s leaves are looking wilted and faded, it may not be getting enough sun. Consider relocating the plant to a sunnier spot. It always helps to research the type of plant, to find out how much sun it requires.

White stripes running along the vein of the plant means that it needs magnesium. Add Epson salt to the soil around the base of the plant. If there is a color variation between the veins of the leaves the plant probably needs a zinc boost. Spray the plant with kelp extract to give them the vitamin it needs.

Yellowing occurring around the edges of the leaves and on the main vein, usually means that the plant is not getting enough nitrogen. Compost materials like coffee grounds and organic matter will help get the plant back on track. If the edges of the leaves become yellow, but the veins look good, it generally means that the plant needs more potassium. Save your banana peels and citrus peels. Chop them up and add to the soil around the base of the plant.

When in doubt, research what your plant looks like to find out what is going on. Type in the appearance of the leaves and look for other web images that look similar to your plants. The internet is a great place to find easy remedies for unhealthy plants.

Sure, you could toss this stuff into the recycling bin and still be doing a good deed. It didn’t end up in a landfill, right? But what if you were able to accomplish even more by not disposing of it at all? Even though recycling is a wonderful thing, it still requires resources. Better yet, just think a little outside of the box about ways to give things a new use. Here’s a list of some of the most commonly discarded food packaging items that are fabulous for reusing.

Parmesan cheese shaker: Rinse it out to remove residue and remove most of the label. A little cooking oil will help loosen a stubborn label. Then, toss it in the utensil basket in the dishwasher to clean it completely. Remove any label remnants and make sure it’s completely dry inside and out. Then use it for anything that benefits from a bit of sprinkling. Such as, baking soda, glitter, sidewalk salt in the winter, and sugar mixes like cinnamon sugar. Another great use is watering household plants. The water will disperse better.

Large, plastic juice containers with wide, pop top openings: Clean in the same way as recommended for the parmesan cheese container. If the plastic juice bottle doesn’t fit well in the dishwasher, you can opt to clean the inside with a dishwashing sponge-wand. Then, use it to store and dispense: small animal food, sand, cereal, and anything else that’s the right size to successfully pour out of the opening. It’s also a great replacement for a standard plant watering jug.

Cold coffee beverage bottles – We’re referencing the ones that you buy at the grocery so you don’t have to pay top price for a frappacino at the coffee shop. Collect enough of them to store your collection of bulk spices! Clean those with warm soapy water, rinse, dry completely. You can paint the lids all the same color to make it a matching set, and then use a glass marker to label them.

Have you ever had trouble falling asleep while traveling? It’s a shame not to use the quiet time in a vehicle to rest – as long as you aren’t the one behind the wheel! Why not start the relaxation process while you are traveling to your destination? Find out tips to sleep in the car, on a plane or in a train.

Get an eye mask that blocks out light. An eye mask is an excellent way to get some shut eye as long as it completely blocks out the light. Pull one of these over your eyes and quickly fall asleep.

Make sure and have a neck pillow with you. If traveling by car, a real pillow can also be nice. For traveling purposes a smaller neck pillow works just great! This allows you to lean your head back or to the side and comfortably catch some Z’s.

Create a playlist of calming or meditation music. This will cancel out noise around you and help you instantly relax. This paired with the eye mask and neck pillow will have you sleeping in no time. You will not feel surrounded by others because you will not be able to hear or see other people. Noise cancelling headphones works the best for this type of need.

If traveling by a plane or train, order a cocktail. A nice red wine will instantly make you feel more relaxed. Order a drink on the first opportunity, enjoy the beverage and take your time drinking it. After you are done put on your eye masks, head phones and situate your neck pillow. Also if you are traveling by plane or train, try to choose a window seat so that you can rest your head up against the window.

Pack a light blanket. This will help you to get relaxed and feeling cozy. Pair this with wearing comfortable clothing. You may even want to dress in layers since you cannot anticipate if it will be hot or cold in the vessel you are traveling in.

The recipe for this window cleaner is so easy to make, it only requires three ingredients and it works wonders. It contains items that you probably already have and only cost a few cents to make. Find out how to make a cleaning solution that works just as well, if not better than any store bought solution, without the harsh chemicals!

Mix the three ingredients together in a cleaning bucket or spray bottle.

Rinse windows with a hose or wipe them down with water and a clean cloth.

Apply the solution by spraying it on the windows or simply wiping it on with a clean cloth.

Immediately rinse the solution off by spraying the windows with the hose. This is the easiest and most effective way to rinse the windows.

There is no need to dry the windows, the rinsing agent will take care of that for you! That’s it, windows are done and now you can move on to another task! The sunshine can now illuminate your beautiful floors!

You’ve loved your home for years and taken care of the house as much as it has taken care of your family. Sometimes we find ourselves needing to relocate or find a larger or smaller home. If you’ve taken care of the larger details getting ready to sell your home, such as replacing worn floors and applying fresh paint, what are the best things to do first to make it look more presentable? Find out what those things are and find a buyer quickly!

Have a yard sale. This will help you get rid of the clutter that can bring a house down. Buyers do not like to see clutter. They more or less like to see a blank slate. Having a yard sale is a great way to get rid of things you no longer need, as well as bring in some extra cash!

Hire a professional to maintain the yard. Curb appeal is very important to buyers. Having a professional maintain the lawn and shrubbery will help your home’s exterior look it’s very best!

Put extra furniture that is not needed in storage. This helps to achieve the “blank canvas” look that buyers are drawn to. This doesn’t mean place the dining room table in storage; we mean extra end tables and cumbersome pieces can be relocated. This will make the house feel more spacious. The more items in a room, actually makes it look smaller.

Clean out closets. Buyers love storage and actually want to see what storage options your house has to offer. If closets are jam packed, it is hard to take note of shelving and other storage organization the space has. A tidy closet is a benefit to any buyer.

Before showing your home, leave the doors open, lights on and have the place smelling nice. If the doors are closed the home will feel closed off. Having the doors open from room to room, makes the flow feel more open and natural. People want to be able to easily see that they are looking on; so keep the lights on and drapery pulled back. Make sure to have a subtle fresh scent throughout the home. You can use air fresheners or room spray. Just make sure the scent you choose is not a strong, overpowering scent.